WestKnollAmy
The Crazy Chicken Lady
that Guineas are not good parents.
So when my Guinea girl went on the nest and started setting I decided to catch her off of it and take the eggs. She had 21 under her! I left her 6, put 3 under a broody hen and stuck the others in my bator. The ones in my bator and the ones under the broody hen hatched so they all went into a brooder.
There were 2 keets that I saw come out of the nest with mama Guinea. Guinea Boy was a real proud papa and has been super good to keep up with the babies. One night he took them into the chicken coop when he went to bed since Guinea girl was going up in the trees to sleep. He hates to sleep in the trees.
The rest of the time he has been caring for the keets very well and Guinea girl always joins up with him first thing in the morning but lately she has been having the babies with her in the mornings when I go to open up the coop. She is waiting patiently outside the door for Guinea boy to come out and join the family.
Those 2 keets are 2 weeks old now and still doing well with the Guinea parents. I would have never thought it!
I have been told over and over that they do not do well raising their own. I heard how they just go off and leave the babies in the tall grass and do not seem to hear all the chirping.
Well, maybe I have some super birds but Guinea Boy has always been super vigilant over them and even grabbed the dog by the arse when she wandered past (more than 10 ft away!). He always brings them up to feed in the barnyard and if one peeps a bit he is right there to see why. Guinea girl is less vigilant but she came from a different farm.
Can "mothering" be taught by Guinea parents or flocks to make some better than others?
Guinea Boy has always been special to me. He just gets better all the time. I just adore his funny self.
So when my Guinea girl went on the nest and started setting I decided to catch her off of it and take the eggs. She had 21 under her! I left her 6, put 3 under a broody hen and stuck the others in my bator. The ones in my bator and the ones under the broody hen hatched so they all went into a brooder.
There were 2 keets that I saw come out of the nest with mama Guinea. Guinea Boy was a real proud papa and has been super good to keep up with the babies. One night he took them into the chicken coop when he went to bed since Guinea girl was going up in the trees to sleep. He hates to sleep in the trees.
The rest of the time he has been caring for the keets very well and Guinea girl always joins up with him first thing in the morning but lately she has been having the babies with her in the mornings when I go to open up the coop. She is waiting patiently outside the door for Guinea boy to come out and join the family.
Those 2 keets are 2 weeks old now and still doing well with the Guinea parents. I would have never thought it!
I have been told over and over that they do not do well raising their own. I heard how they just go off and leave the babies in the tall grass and do not seem to hear all the chirping.
Well, maybe I have some super birds but Guinea Boy has always been super vigilant over them and even grabbed the dog by the arse when she wandered past (more than 10 ft away!). He always brings them up to feed in the barnyard and if one peeps a bit he is right there to see why. Guinea girl is less vigilant but she came from a different farm.
Can "mothering" be taught by Guinea parents or flocks to make some better than others?
Guinea Boy has always been special to me. He just gets better all the time. I just adore his funny self.